NY TIMES article on 9/11 Anniversary

By Steven J. Brodsky (Tue December 27, 2011)

On the 10th anniversary of 9/11, thousands will remember those who died and plan to visit the memorial. Ironically, thousands of the surviving victims with PTSD will turn off their TV and still can't leave their homes to attend the ceremony. The New York Times (8/10/11, http://tinyurl.com/3b45rrw) reported on 9/11 victims who still have not obtained the proper treatment. Further, the most popular treatment for flashbacks, antipsychotic drugs, such as Respiridone, have failed to resolve their problems. (See 8/11, www.tinyurl.com/4yaykav.) PTSD is an extremely treatable disorder. Exposure Therapy, a special cognitive-behavioral technique, has proven highly effective in hundreds of studies. Patients might not need medication indefinitely, if at all. Exposure therapy is very structured, systematically reducing anxiety, avoidance, and flashbacks, the classic symptoms of PTSD. Moreover, it works for all kinds of PTSD, whether caused by terrorism, warfare, disaster, accidents, or criminal assault and rape. In short, it is tragic that victims and families still suffer completely unnecessarily.